Alan Gutierrez

These last few weeks I’ve retreated from the City of New Orleans. Today I was at Beth’s books, a book store behind the Sound Cafe. I wondered if I could write a book. Could I write about my life and make it an interesting story? I’ve been away from the people of substance who’ve made my life rich and meaningful. It seems that I’ve found myself in the company of seekers. The runaways. People who make me think about Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, the story of an observer of Savannah, Georgia. How many of our resident voyeurs fancy themselves the trusted insider. It occurred to me that the only way for a Michigander to write about New Orleans would be write without explaining and without observing. No exposition. And yet, I can and do write about New Orleans as a New Orleanian, with authority, but not these last few weeks. It tells me that I’ve lost my way. I’ve found my way back to a person that I once was.

Foundation Center and Foundation Directory Online.

The Detroit newsletter slash website Metromode reports that SRT opens Ann Arbor office, more than triples its employees. Although, it looks as though it was a reprinted press release, the notion of third spaces is one that I’m pursuing with coworking meetups at our lovely New Orleans coffee houses.

A summary of The Jena Six in the The Town Talk, Alexandria-Pineville, LA. Not only a nice resource, but a nice format; and FAQ with linked articles.

Two weeks ago, on the anniversary of Katrina, I was listening to Arnie Fielkow speak at the Artillery Park across from Jackson Square. I was sitting next to Laura LeBon. (Was it Arnie, or was it Walter Leger?) He asked, “Who here is from New Orleans?” I raised my hand. I got smacked in the arm by Laura, who said “You’re not from New Orleans.” I did my best to look aghast. “I, but, doesn’t he mean who’s a tourist or volunteer? I’ve lived here since 2001. I mean…” Later she wrote to apologize. It’s how they operate down where. Laura has been here since Bienville.

I’m writing my first guest blog entry for Drum Major Institute. The working title is Katrina Fatigue Fatigue, where I’ll write about my recent attempts to address the people who ask “Why rebuild a city below sea level?” In fact, I feel as though I ought to create a question of that sort at thinknola.com and just perpetually have that argument out and get very good at making it.

A Visio template for New Orleans: Crime Scenes with Shapes.

Refugee Cottages from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Temporary housing sans formaldehyde.